Thoughts about the concept of hope

New Mexico’s primary election will be over by the time this article is published but, while the outcome isn’t known as I write, the results have likely been widely reported on radio, television and the internet.

I suspect all concerned Americans are hopeful for a positive final outcome of this year’s elections, no matter how they view events over the past five years. I’ve heard a lot about hope lately, so I thought I’d write about that.

A doctor we visited recently spoke with concern and hope our country survives all the emerging variants of COVID. I hope we’ve learned enough from the initial onslaught to prevent both the ongoing health problems many are facing and the many mistakes (and outright crimes) committed during and since the shutdown. For the present, we’re to pray for our nation, state and communities and leaders at all levels, whether or not we agree with them so we can live at peace, which comes from hope (1 Timothy 2:1-2; Romans 13:1-2).

The rites of passage for those moving on to the next level of their education or beginning careers as graduates also brings hope. Among the many great rays of hope we have in Tucumcari and Quay County is Mesalands Community College’s plan to continue and add vocational education opportunities to fill the shortages for skilled tradespeople and other careers not requiring a four-year college degree.

Our friends’ high-school graduate granddaughter has plans to attend college. I found a card with one of my favorite verses, Jeremiah 29:11, where God says he knows his plans for us to not harm us, but to help us prosper with hope for a bright future. That’s the most encouraging word ever (James 1:2-8; Romans 5:1-5; John 16:33)!

For us to have hope for a bright future for eternity, God planned before creation for us to be forgiven of our sins so we could go to heaven (Romans 3:23; 6:23; Isaiah 59:1-2; John 3:16-17; 1 Peter 2:21-25; Romans 10:8-13; 6:3-5; Acts 22:16; 2:38-39; Ephesians 1:3-14; 2:8-9; Colossians 2:11-13; Galatians 2:20-21). Although salvation isn’t accomplished by our own works, it does require our submission to God’s commands to take advantage of his works in our salvation (John 15:14-21; Luke 6:46-49; Matthew 7:21-23).

The teaching about Jesus includes everything necessary to lead a repentant person to Christian baptism as the instance of calling on the name of the Lord because we cannot be justified by faith alone (Acts 8:35-39; James 2:17-24; 1 Peter 3:21, note that where many translations use “response” or “answer,” the literal translation is “appeal,” which is consistent with the rest of scripture).

Our faith is only credited to us as righteousness when it’s acted upon (Romans 3:21-26; Matthew 3:13-17; Galatians 3:26-29; 4:4-7; Acts 19:1-5; Mark 16:16; Romans 8:9-11).

Have you acted upon your faith according to God’s plan for you to become his heir for eternity? That’s the only hope we have for a bright future (1 Peter 1:3-9; 2 Peter 3:8-18; Revelation 21:1-4, 22-27; 22:1-5)!

Leonard Lauriault is a member of the Church of Christ in Logan who writes about faith for the Quay County Sun. Contact him at [email protected].